Ember: A Life Before Death
by Lucid3762
Summary: Ember's life a couple of days before her death. I give the credit for the main idea to the creators of Danny Phantom, the days before and Embers family are my ideas.
1. Chapter 1: What a Life

**Hey guys!**

**So I kinda dropped my marching band story and made a new one based on my favorite show. Danny Phantom!**

**Anyone ever wonder what happened to Ember before she was put in the Ghost Portal?**

**~Lucid3762**

* * *

_Screams arose from the crowd, "Ember! Ember! Ember!" she could hear as they chanted her name over and over again. They loved her, who wouldn't she was fairly popular among the teens. Amber stepped out onto the stage - no, not Amber, Amber was the live she had lived as a loser. Now, she was Ember and she stepped onto the stage with pleasurable roars from the crowd._

_"I love you Ember!" one cried_

_"Marry me Ember McLain!" another shouted. She merely chuckled with toned-down happiness, they did love her, that was obvious. With her newly teal dyed hair held in a ponytail at the top of her head with two locks of that hair framing her face in an sharp-angled M, and her stage clothes; a normal black one shoulder crop-top showing off her flat stomach and midriff, black leather pants with a silver belt, the single long black glove wrapping up her right arm, choker, silver skull boots and her traditional rocker makeup consisting of purple lipstick and eyeliner trailing down her eyes to make a curl on her left eye and a sharp angle like her hair on the right, Ember was ready to start the show of everyone's life._

_The crowd roared as Embers purple and blue guitar was picked up and slung around her shoulders. She teasingly strummed her guitar_

_Beep, it went. Ember was confused, but the crowd loved it. She kept strumming and noise kept getting louder. Beep, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP._

With a snap of her eyes, Amber was back to reality; her boring bedroom. The grey ceiling seemed to stare back at her as Amber realized, it was all just some stupid dream. Of course, she thought to herself, of course it would only be a dream. Her head lolled to one side as she stared at the alarm clock on her dirty wooden nightstand which was still going off. 7:00 it read, great, time to go to hell. Grudgingly, Amber swung her feet from their still position on her bed onto the cold hard wooden floor with one foot, and her black long sleeve shirt with the other. With a groan, she lifted her body up out of the bed with what seemed 100 pounds on her, pulling her back down.

"AMBER!" she heard her mother cry, "GET DOWN HERE AND MAKE ME BREAKFAST!". Amber sighed and knew she had to comply with her bitchy mothers orders. Do the dishes, clean the house, make me food. All these things made her feel like Cinderella, only she wasn't pretty enough to fall in love. Unfortunately she had to deal with her brown hair shaped just like her dream, and an ugly pair of muddy brown eyes and a narrow face.

Everyone called her pretty, but Amber never believed it; if she was as pretty as everyone said, then why didn't boys ogle at her like they did when a petite blond bimbo strutted into their path. Oh well, she thought as she shuffled downstairs, at least I'm who I want to be in my dreams.

Amber raced down the stairs and saw the same lowly sight she was always greeted with. The living room, cluttered with papers; newspapers, unpaid bills, warnings of evictions, month old and used napkins. You name it, it was there. The uncleaned floor showed the life of the house, the dirt dragged in the house by her and her brother, the uncleaned cocaine scattered on the floor, and the dirty dishes that sat around on tables or shelves with the occasional morsel of rotted food. The kitchen was the only place that looked nice compared the rest of the house.

Amber remembered when her mother first got the house, back before he came to live with us. It was so sparkling and clean; white tiles and spotless carpets. Now, the carpets had gaping holes where they tried to smuggle the cocaine given to them by him, yellow creeping up the walls and staining the once beautiful floral wallpaper.

Amber's mom sat on the couch, obviously recovering from the party she attended last night. She was still in her small black one-strapped cocktail dress with rips and cocaine spots varied on her dress. One pitch black high-heeled shoe remained on her foot and the other had a broken strap and snapped heel at the breast. Amber sighed, those were the shoes she remembered getting her mother for her celebration with her girlfriends on getting the new house. Her mom was splayed on the couch, one leg hanging off the cushions on the top and the other straight on the couch. Her once beautiful chocolate brown hair was distorted and sticking up in random places, her makeup was smeared on her face, and a trail of dried blood confirmed Ambers suspicions of her mothers activities while Amber kept up the house.

"Amber, go make me some eggs and those horrid drinks that get rid of my hangovers proto." she ordered. With a nod, Amber rushed to the kitchen and fired up the stove and grabbed her ingredients. Eggs, the pickle jar full of pickle juice, water, and some seasonings. Carefully, she made breakfast for herself and her mother and made the remedy for her mother's constant hangovers. She grabbed a tray and set the eggs on the only clean white glass plate they had and the sole clean glass for her drink on it. Amber praised herself on the presentation of "her majesties" breakfast, but knew that her praise would be the only one she'd ever get on the matter. In the living room, her mother laid waiting for her morning meal. Amber picked up some loose papers on the coffee table to make room for her mothers breakfast.

"Go." her mother dismissed her just as she picked up the pickle juice. Amber darted upstairs in the normal rut she seemed to be stuck in since he came and got ready for school. With her black long sleeve shirt and deep denim skinny jeans, Amber ran out the door with her grey backpack and rushed to the bus stop.


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to Casper High

**Hello again!**

**I just want to thank everyone who had viewed my first chapter and gave me reviews and followed and Favorited, I love it when I get feedback. I realize this is a short chapter, but here it is! Chapter 2!**

**~Lucid3762**

* * *

Amber was safe, for now; but for the time being, she was on the bus in her designated seat in the back of the bus. With her chin in her hands and her face out of the window, Amber thought about what she was going to do when she got to school. I can't be seen by Jake… she told herself.

She thought of Jake, oh so handsome Jake. With his dirty blond hair always in a mess from his football helmet; how cliche, Amber's head spoke out, you're in love with a football player. But that didn't matter to Amber; messy blond hair and blue eyes, bluer than the deepest ocean, made her just want him more. He was the badass of the school, always riding around on his pitch black motorcycle with a tight leather seat. Oh how Amber longed to ride on the back of that, holding on tight to Jake's waist with love. He was so dark, so mysterious, so handsome; he was the eye-candy of the school.

Throughout the bus ride, Amber went through various scenarios in her mind. In one, he asked her out, and they went to dinner and he proposed that day. Another one was him grabbing her and laying a passionate, lustful, fierce kiss in front of the head cheer-bitch while she looked in jealousy. With a happy and useless hope, Amber hopped off the bus and onto school grounds.

The school was large and old. Made of bricks it stood up two stories not counting the ground floor. From the front view, six windows on each level were visible; three on the left, three on the right. In between the windows was a large white slab holding the name of the school on the third level in big, bold, black letters with a two storied window underneath it and double wooden doors. To top off this white mass was the American flag, waving from the wind of the day. The grass was dead, long dead, and few vegetation grew near the school. One faithful light post held tall in front of the school like a beacon as children from all directions poured in. Inside was a green color; why they decided to paint it that way, Amber will never know, but for the longest time, green was the color. Overhead lights clung to the ceiling and emitted a mass amount of light which always made Amber wonder if Casper High was the cause of the occasional blackouts in town. The lockers stacked along the walls, two on top of each other and at the end, a silver water fountain that gave students warm, but clean, water. In one of the connected hallways stood a corkboard with activities. Sign up for this! Sign up for this! Football needs you! Come join cheer! All ads trying to get students into extracurricular activities. Amber always sighed as she walked past the board, she had enough to do in one day, one activity was not to be allowed for her.

With her books in hand, Amber trudged deeper into the hallway and to her locker. 724, it read in bold letters. She put in her combination, 01-29-99. With a click, the moss colored locker opened revealing all of Ambers school things and valuable things so her mother wouldn't steal them for drug money. Books, jewelry, and mini-posters cluttered the small locker. Amber dropped the school book she brought home in the locker and grabbed her first period book, a notepad, and a pencil and shut the locker.

"Hey dipstick." she heard a gruff voice behind her; she tensed. Forcefully, she was grabbed on her shoulder, was turned around, and was shoved on the locker. In front of her stood the big muscular body of Danny. His black hair hung around his face and his green eyes pierced her, "Whatcha got there?" he asked.

"J-just my books." she stammered.

"Oh," for a second, Amber thought he was going to let up, but then he slammed her into the locker harder than before," what about some money?"

"What do you need money for?" Amber snapped, "You're rich."

Danny just laughed, "Being rich doesn't have anything to do with it."

Amber laughed, "What are you laughing at bitch?" he asked coldly.

"You think I, the girl with a drug addict for a mother, has money." Amber laughed out. Danny looked at her with pure hate, but let go of her and walked away to a group of his friends.

Well, there was one obstacle of the day…

****The rest of the day went fairly smoothly, no more confrontations from Danny: a few harsh words from Bridget, the cheerleading captain; and laughs from her friends. Only at lunch, with one class to go, did something happen, something big.


	3. Chapter 3: Happiness is a Reward

**Hiya!**

**Thank you guys so much for reading my story. You honestly don't know how happy it makes me when I see ****_79_**** people have read my story. **

**Thank you to Dragonsrule18 for reviewing on my story and the excitement for my next chapters. You, all of you, keep me wanting to type this story and post it for you. Thank you a million!**

**~Lucid3762**

* * *

Amber knew something was wrong the moment she entered the lunch room. Instead of her normal invisibility, she got everyone in the room to look at her with a single footstep. Still being stared at, Amber, blushing furiously, walked to the lunch line and got herself some of the muck the school provided. Sandwiches, green beans, and a chocolate milk carton laid on the white styrofoam tray. Outside was just like any other, the sun shone while the wind from the morning died down a little and Amber sat alone on the double sided picnic table with her lunch and started eating.

"Hey! Amber!" cried out Brooke with glee.

Amber looked up to see her only friends in the entire school, Brooke and Jane. Brooke, with her slightly narrow face and brown flowing hair smiled brightly at her while Jane, the only blond haired girl in the school to be nice to her with lifeless grey eyes looked at her and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hello Brooke." Amber nodded towards Jane, "Jane."

"Hey Amber." Jane said with the quiet and fragile voice Amber remembered her with.

"Hows the day been?" Brooke asked.

"Terrible."

"Care to explain?" Jane spoke.

"Danny…"

Brooke gasped "What happened?"

"He asked for my money, nothing else really happened after that."

"Well isn't that terrible." spoke up a new voice. Ambers head lifted as she stared into the face of Jake. He looked at Amber with pity, true pity.

"No." she said half-dazed by his perfect face, "I mean yes-well naturally-I mean."

"So he was wasn't he…?" Jake asked.

"... Yes." Amber said quietly.

"Well thats not nice.". Something was weird, Jake's normally calmed face looked anxious, almost nervous just by being there.

"Is something wrong?" Jane partially snapped.

"Uh-no" he stammered. Amber was amazed that such a popular guy with so many girls just chasing after him would still be nervous, especially around a girl like Amber.

"Jake?" Amber asked with concern.

"Yes?" .

"Is there something wrong?".

Jake looked back towards another of the tables with Bridget and her girls, Danny, and some of Jake's football friends; some of the boys raised their hands as if saying to him go ahead while the girls gossipped within themselves and occasionally looked in their direction. When he looked back he stared at Amber and finally said,

"Can we talk in private?"

"Sure." Amber said almost too quickly.

She stood up and walked with Jake to a tall tree with a thick stump and dying orange leaves, "What's wrong Jake?" she asked.

"Well, theres been a little problem…" he told her hesitantly.

"With me?"

"No! Well, yes."

"What have I done?" I asked politely

"You've not been on a date with me…"

"What…?"

"A date." he looked as if the weight of the world was off of his shoulders, but it seemed to transfer to mine, "You and I haven't been on one and I would want that to be changed.". I stood there, frozen, not sure what to do or say. I could feel my face burning.

"Would you like to?" he asked me.

The words were in my throat, my stomach was alive with butterflies, and my head was racing. Jake was staring at her with his intense blue eyes; Amber stared back and quickly got lost them.

She didn't even remember saying yes. Just in a flash of a second, his eyes were alight with joy. Amber snapped out of her daze and saw Jake, his elation glowing through every fiber of him.

"Great." he beamed, Amber could see his face getting hot too, "See you tomorrow?"

"Sure, what movie do you want to see?"

"Um…" he pondered for a second.

"The AristoCats is out, want to see that?"

"Yeah, that sounds wonderful." Amber just started to walk away when she realized one crucial detail.

"What time do you want to see it?"

"Well, I think there's a showing at 9, want to go to that one?"

"Nine sounds perfect." she told him dreamily. With a happy look in both of their eyes, they parted ways.

* * *

While the two talked, Jane looked onwards with jealousy. Jane was in love with Jake, but now Amber, Amber of all people get him. How is that fair? How come Jane, whose beauty outmatched Amber, didn't get the guy. How could life be so cruel. The more Jane watched the more angry she got. Brooke blabbered on, talking about how hard her Algebra class was, but she didn't notice, Jane was too focused on the pair behind the tree. Jake, with his dazzling smile, and Amber, obviously lost in the deep abyss of his eyes. With jealousy, Jane daydreamed about the day Jake may walk up to her and even utter a word. When he came to talk to Amber, he completely ignored the two girls sitting on either side of his target. Finally, a big laugher fit seemed to erupt from the two, smiles and nervous blush flustering their cheeks. Jane watched as Amber turned away from the tree and start to walk back, stopped, turned and talked to Jake again. After a minute or so, the two exchanged goodbyes and Amber headed back their way. Jane put on that fake smile she fooled Amber and Brooke with just around the time Amber was at the table, her eyes cast downward and an eternal smile on her face.

* * *

Back at the table, Brooke and Jane looked at her with anticipation.

"So…" Brooke said.

"So…?" Amber replied.

"What happened?" Brooke cried impatiently.

Hotness came back to her face, "He asked me out to the movie.". Amber saw Brooke's face light up.

"No way…" Jane said, shock on her face.

"Yeah way, the AristoCats at nine o'clock." Amber told her group. Jane looked at the table Jake sat at, and though her face seemed happy for Amber, she could tell a storm was brewing in her eyes.

"Jane?" Amber asked.

Jane snapped out of her daze, "What?"

"You okay?"

"Fine."

* * *

This can't be! This can't be! Jake and Amber! Going to see a movie I've been dying to see! Oh the agony! Jane's mind raced as she stared at her lost love. Jake, beautiful Jake, surrounded by his friends, friends who looked happy for him, genuinely happy. Jonathan, the quarterback and Jake's best friend clapped him on the back as he excitedly told the group of what happened behind the tree. Bridget, the head cheer captain, looked between Jake and Amber with anger.

It wasn't a secret that Bridget had liked Jake, kind of the cheer-captain-/football-player kind of relationship had always been her dream, but when Jonathan started dating one of the cheerleaders named Ashley, Bridget, in a fiery rage, publicly humiliated her and got her kicked off the cheer squad. No one except Amber, Jane, and Brooke knew the endeavor between Ashley and Bridget. But when Jonathan refused to give up Ashley, despite her unpopularity, Bridget knew now she had to go for the next-in-line, which was Jake.

Jane pondered what Bridget would do to Amber, or if she had learned her lesson with Ashley and Jonathan. Could I get an alliance to get Amber away from Jake? Jane thought to herself. Amber on her left went through each detail from when she left the table with Jake to when she came back, but Jane didn't pay attention, she was too busy thinking of a plan for the new pair.


	4. Chapter 4: Prizes and Prices

**Hey guys!**

**So I realize this chapter is fairly short, and sorry for that. Action will be coming up.**

**Thank all of you who has kept up with this story, 168 views is pretty big for me!**

**Thank you whom have reviewed and given me boost of confidence and help while writing this story!**

**I kinda changed a few things. So, Jake asked her out on a Friday, they set the date for that night around 11:30ish.**

**Thank you everyone, and enjoy!**

**~Lucid3762**

* * *

Back at the house, Amber flopped onto her bed. _What a day_, she thought to herself. Danny and his cruel torment, some snide words from Bridget, but the best of all, Jake asking her out to the movie.

"What do I wear?" she asked herself aloud. Amber sat up and walked over to her closet. Since her room was the only non-drugged, clean room in the entire house, her's closet was neatly arranged. Her mother, back before her cocaine addiction, used to call her a neat-freak teasingly. Her closet, arranged very neatly by what the clothes were. On the far left stood Amber's dresses, most of which were a dark color with a couple of sundresses and one pink dress which one of her mother's boyfriends got for her and forced her to wear even though he knew that she hated pink. Next was her shirts, again, mostly made of neutral colors and a couple of blue shirts and then her jeans. Her clothes took up ⅓ of the closet space another ⅓ of the closet was a hanging shoe rack. It was tan and made of cloth with four big squares, all filled with Amber's shoes. She had everything from combat boots to fancy flats, even a pair of high heels her mother gave her as a gift for a school dance she was invited to. She shuffled through the mass of jeans, shirts, and dresses until she found the perfect outfit, a black long sleeved shirt that hung slightly past her fingertips and her signature black leather pants with silver boots. With a satisfied look, she set down the outfit on top of her seal brown wooden chest laying in front of her bed, an heirloom given to her by her grandma. Inside it was just more valuables that she couldn't keep in her locker without it all crashing down on her. With giddiness in her heart, Amber stared at the clothes lying on the chest. _Would he think I'm weird for wearing such plain clothes? God, I hope not._

* * *

At his house, things weren't going as smoothly as he hoped. Jake do this, Jake do that, walk Trevor, do your chores. All Jake wanted to do was go upstairs, maybe do his homework. But mostly he wanted to prepare, prepare for the wonderful night him and Amber had in store. Jake could still picture her standing before him, her face flushed when he asked her out, the shine in her eyes as they set a time and date. He couldn't help but smile as he reminisced about that moment behind the tree.

Finally, Jake got all of his chores done and finally rushed upstairs before he was called to yet another project. When he closed the door behind him, a sigh was emitted. I need to clean this room. he thought to himself; everywhere, clothes and papers lied on the ground. He picked up as much papers as he could and shoved them into a drawer in his desk on the wall and put as much clothes as he could into the barely used white plastic hamper. While by the hamper inside his closet, Jake picked out a nice clean outfit for his date with Amber even though it was a day away. A nice clean grey shirt and faded denim jeans with black combat boots. Panic spread throughout him, what if this wasn't nice enough? Would she care?

His thought were interrupted as a buzz from his phone was emitted.

_Hi._ it read from an unknown number_ We need to talk._

_Who is this?_

_None of your concern._

_Bridget?_

_No._

_Well what do you want?_

_Meet me in the park now._

_Fine._

Jake closed his phone and grabbed his coat.

"Mom! I'm going to walk Trevor again!" he yelled to his mother.

"Alright! Be back soon!" she called back. Jake set out towards the park with Trevor's leash in hand and him bounding along beside him. In the park, Jake saw no one but a dark figure sitting on the park bench.

"Jake?" it called. Jake didn't recognize the voice, but it was feminine. He walked closer hesitantly

"You the mystery messenger?

"That I am."

"What do you want?". The figure stood, Jake was close enough to see the figure was fairly small but had brown hair hanging over her face, framing it. Her green eyes pierced through the night. Jake remembered her as the girl that was staring at Jake as he asked Amber out, Jane was her name.

"You." Jane said.


	5. Chapter 5: Hell Hath No Mercy

**Hello!**

**Thank you all so much! It's amazing to see 200+ views on my story on my birthday.**

**All the reviews I've gotten, all the people who've favorited and followed my story have kept me going and kept me writing.**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

**~Lucid3762**

* * *

"You." she told him. After all it was true, Jane had craved to be with Jake. To be near him, to be in love with him, for him to love her. I mean they had so much in common! Their names were alike with the exception of one letter. I mean, how much more could we have in comparison? she told herself. She stepped forward towards him.

"Listen Jane," oh it felt so nice to hear him say her name, "I don't have time for this. I may be late for the movie with Amber.". _Wonderful,_ she thought, _he's thinking about her when I tell him I love him._

"She can wait." Jane told him coldly.

"No. No, I've waited long enough." Jake turned away from her. _How dare he_? she thought.

She ran after him, the dark cloak fluttering behind her.

* * *

Jake saw Jane run after him. _No no no_, he screamed internally. His paced quickened as he started to sprint for home. Trevor was barking beside him, happily running with his master. He had to get home, maybe even go straight there; it was late at night after all. While running he checked the watch he had on him. 11:00 PM it read. _God_, he thought to himself, _I'm going to be late!_

* * *

It was cold waiting for Jake to come. Amber stood alone outside, with only the outfit she wore and a bag in hand; she didn't think about bringing a coat; she thought by now, she would be in Jake's arms watching a Disney movie she had been dying to see. Rubbing her arms and sighing Amber checked the small phone she took from her mother. 11:00, figures. Only then did she think about, I dunno, getting his number before she walked away. She tried to remember earlier that day under the tree with him. _Why do I care?_ she screamed at herself, _I haven't even gone out with him once and I'm feeling like a ditched prom date?_ As the battle within herself raged on, Amber had no idea about the battle in the park.

* * *

She had caught up to him. He was almost home, but his collar watch caught by a small yet firm hand and yanked backwards onto the damp ground, his head hitting something hard. Trevor, ignorant to his masters distress, ran along to the house and entered the doggie door. Jane hovered over Jake, a look of pity on her face.

"I'm sorry love." she told him, bending down and caressing his face, "I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted you not to go." Sincerity leaked from her voice.

"Why…?" he asked, his vision going in and out, his breathing hard.

"Because, why does she deserve you? She hasn't loved you for as long as I have."

"I… have… to go.". Jane was hurt by that obviously, she smacked him.

"No! That bitch is a siren! She'll take your heart and eat it! I won't, I'll love you, grow old with you, die with you!"

"I. Don't." he started to sit up.

She pushed him back down and sat on his chest, "You are not leaving!"

* * *

11:30. The preview's are starting. _Where are you Jake?_

* * *

_I have to get out of here,_ Jake told himself. With whatever strength he had left, he pushed the girl off of him and stood slowly, dizziness washing over him like a wave. _Shake it off_, he cried to himself, _shake it off!_ Yet again, and still dizzy, Jake ran into town.

* * *

_He's not coming_, she told herself. The wind had picked up and blew her hair in her face, but she didn't touch it, she was distraught. _My life was supposed to begin!_ she screamed inside, _I wasn't supposed to be ditched!_ As her mind raced and her fury rose, hell stormed in on heels.

Bridget.

"Hey dipstick!" she shouted at her, "Got ditched by my boyfriend?"

"You're lying." Amber said.

"Nope. Couple minutes before you think you got asked out, Jake asked me if I could go to his house. We had a grand old time." a wicked smile formed on Bridgets lips.

_She's falling for it._

* * *

Amber couldn't take it anymore, she ran, although she wasn't dressed for it, she ran. Ran all the way home before she could cry.

* * *

"Amber!" Jake screamed. Here he was, at the theater, but no Amber. Jake glanced at his watch, 12:45. _I'm too late…_


	6. Chapter 6: Why Must Life Torment?

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry I haven't posted in so long. School hasn't helped me and the stress of family has took its toll. **

**I thank everyone who has reviewed, viewed, visited, followed, or favorited the story so far. I honestly couldn't do this without you guys and am glad you love my writings!**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**~Lucid3762**

* * *

_No_… she thought. He was gone, going after Amber. All Jane saw was him running away; she wanted to follow, so very very bad, but she was so tired. Running and fighting a boy was more work that what movies showed. When he ran off Jane felt her heart drop, he was gone before she knew it. But the way his muscles contracted underneath her was enough to get her through the sleepless night she may endure. As Jane's thoughts raced, her emotions flashed before her eyes.

Amber opened the door and was greeted by a horrid sight. Her mother, laying on the couch with two unfinished lines of cocaine on the filthy glass table, a razor and her silver straw laying besides the lines.

"Mom!" Amber screamed and rushed beside the table, "Mom! Jackie!". When mom didn't reply, Amber was torn between calling an ambulance or not doing anything. She paced in front of the table and felt hot tears start to come. _If I tell someone, I'll be taken from her,_ she thought to herself, _but if I don't say anything, she'll be taken from me._ It was decided, Amber picked up the phone she had in her pocket and dialed 9-1-1.

"9-1-1. What's your emergency?" a female operator said over the phone.

"It's my mom!" Amber cried into the phone, "she's not responding to me.". Amber was at the point of tears.

"Okay honey, tell me where you are and I'll send an ambulance.". She relayed her address to the operator and was assured an ambulance would arrive soon. Waiting, Amber tried to clean up the drugs laying absently on the table by sweeping them and dumping them in the trash; she was only hastened as the heard the wail of the sirens and the saw the lights flashing in her neighborhood. Hurriedly, she washed her hands in the kitchen sink and put a pile of newspapers, as orderly as she could in the little time she had, on top of the uncleaned table; whatever visible drugs once layed there, were now gone and disposed of.

The paramedics pounded on the door just as Amber finished disposing the evidence. She opened the door and saw as four men dressed in a black shirt and baggy black pants rushed into the house and circled the woman on the couch. One took her pulse, another tried to get a response out of her, and the others carried in a large bed-like cart to place her on. On three, they lifted the mother off of the couch and onto the bed and wheeled her out of the house. Amber was right on their heels as they ran into the flashing white and red truck. The man taking her pulse now was giving her air through a big football shaped apparatus as they folded the yellow legs under the cart and slipped Amber's mother inside. Close on their heels, Amber slid into the truck and on the seat, her body across from her mother's unconscious head. The paramedics continued to work on her mother, putting a thing she called a heart restarter that they used on her too many times for comfort. _What were they called again?_ she asked herself and was answered as they put the two plates on her mother's chest, and shouted "Clear", a defibrillator which was wrote on the side of the dark grey box in silver letters. The shock pulsed through her moms body, but her heart didn't start. They did it again, and again, and again. Nothing.

"Come on mom!" Amber cried.

They arrived at the hospital, the darkness still alive in the night as they rushed her body into the room. People in scrubs circled around the stretcher her mother was placed on, shouting things at each other that Amber was too distracted to hear. Time slowed long before she got there anyway. Amber travelled behind her mother at a small distance before she was stopped by a woman with black hair, tanned skin, warm brown eyes, and green scrubs.

"You have to stay here sweety." she cooed.

"No. That's my mother." she replied, her calmness being shown through the shock.

"I know," the nurse continued to speak kindly, "let the doctors do their work."

Amber was shown to a seat in the sterile lobby; she never noticed how clean the entire place looked, how calm despite the previous minutes. It was a sterile white and smelled of something Amber couldn't place. In the lobby, dark blue cushioned single seats on a grey carpet. Little toys are puzzles were scattered where little kids played with them and mothers sat on the chairs, reading magazines and occasionally stealing glances at Amber.

_How long am I going to have to wait?_


	7. Chapter 7: Fanning the Flames

**Hey everybody!**

**Hate to say this, but this is the last chapter for this story.**

**I will be posting another story under the Books section on the book Enemy, Charlie Higson. You'll find my next story there sometime soon; and if you've read this story and started to read the other one, shoot me a review telling me, I'd love to hear from you wonderful people.**

**Thank you all so much! Without you guys, I couldn't write this story. Those reviews that praised me and corrected me on my writing. Thank you all for the viewers that made me happier with every person. I love you all so much and am so glad to have typed for you!**

**~Lucid3762**

* * *

It was a long time, two days to be precise. Amber stayed in the hospital lobby for the night she arrived through the next night. Only after her mother being there for one day did the nurses tell Amber to go home and go to school; and Amber did just that. Her untouched house was a surprise to her, no cops crawling around, looking for drugs; no CPS workers snooping to try and get her out of there. Just her old, dirty house with too many papers. In minutes Amber grabbed her bag and was standing at the bus bay waiting.

* * *

_I'll find her,_ he reassured himself, _I'll find her and tell her that her crazy ass friend kidnapped me!_ Jake raced in the bright green halls, evading cliques and random loners through each and every hall. He was just about to turn into the locker hall when he slammed into one of Amber's friends and they both fell to the ground.

"Watch it!" she cried before she looked at Jake, "Oh. It's you…"

"What about me?" he snapped.

"Nothing, just that you ditched Amber and tried to go for Jane."

"What? No! That crazy bitch kidnapped me and held me prisoner!"

"That's not what she said."

"Well if she told you Amber jumped off a cliff would you believe it?"

"Yeah, because you ditched her and her mom's in the hospital!". Jake had never seen that peppy girl so angry before in his life.

"Listen, I just need to talk to Amber, is she here today?" he asked.

"Yeah… I shouldn't be telling you this." she paused, "724 is her locker." she started to walk off but added, "She should be here in a couple of minutes."

"Thank you so much. You won't regret it." he told her.

"I already do.". And with that she disappeared into the hall. Jake strode over to Amber locker and sat in front of it, waiting.

* * *

When Amber got off the bus and into the school, the first thing she noticed was everyone staring at her. Even though she was in a grey sweatshirt and black yoga pants, she didn't look any different than before. With her head down, she rushed to her locker and saw Jake sitting on the floor in front of it. _What does he want?_ she asked herself.

"Hi." she said softly.

He looked up at her and she saw how lifeless his eyes were, "Hey." was his only reply.

"What do want?" she didn't mean to make it so snappy, but that's how it came out.

"Listen, about Friday-"

"There's nothing to be said.." she opened her locker, "You went with Bridget."

"What?" he asked, shocked, "No I didn't!"

"But that's what she-"

"I didn't, I don't like her. Your friend held me down in the park!"

Amber stopped what she was doing, frozen and asked, "What friend?"

Jake thought, "Jane, I think."

"Jane wouldn't do that." turning to him and staring at him. He wasn't lying, she could tell.

"Well she did." he told Amber. With a stunned look on her face, Amber grabbed her books and shut the locker, fighting back tears."

"Tell me you're lying." she said, pressing her forehead on the cool locker.

"I'm not. Why would I?". The bell sounded and without a reply, Amber left and walked to her first period.

Lunch rolled around and Amber was found on the picnic tables outside, her normal spot, without food. Brooke was the first to arrive,

"What happened? I knew I shouldn't have told him where you would be." her cheerfulness was gone, which was strange for Amber to see.

"It wasn't that bad… I just need to talk to Jane." Amber reassured her friend, "Speak of the devil.". Jane strolled in, her blonde hair bouncing in a medium ponytail while she wore a white light jacket and dark blue jeans and a large smile; almost too large for a girl like Jane. _Everyone is backwards today_, Amber thought to herself, _Brooke is solemn, Jane is bouncy, Jake is down_. As Jane seated herself in front of Amber, the large smile she wore was gone.

"What's wrong?" Jane asked, "Was it Jake?"

"Somewhat." Amber replied, her tone serious, "Tell me you didn't do it."

"What?" Jane asked, shocked.

"Tell me you didn't keep Jake, against his will, in the park."

"I-I didn't.". So many signs that showed she was lying, her eyes averted Ambers and her finger was in front of her face.

"You're lying." Amber's face was cold and angry

"Amber…? Whats going on?" Brooke gave Jane and Amber a look of worry.

Jane's face quickly hardened, "Okay. I did. I held Jake in the park." she paused, "But only because you don't deserve him."

"_I_ don't deserve him?!" her voice started to rise.

"Yes!" Jane's voice was rising, "You and your crazy life would tear you two apart faster than paper!"

"Crazy life?"

"Your druggie mom and your broken ways! No one, especially Jake, should have to go through that with _you_.". Amber didn't know what to say, she just stared at her supposed "friend" in shock. Jane took her silence for her to continue, "What if Jake went to your filthy house and then it collapsed on you guys just because it was so _decayed_? Lets say that you two live together one day _in your dreams_ and your stupid genes cause you to become a druggie like your stupid mom and he has to fight to stay alive and get by while you shoot up every day like Mrs. Long said druggie kids have? What if-"

"Shut up!" Amber screamed loudly. With that, Jane stared at Amber in equal shock in silence. "Why?" Amber softened, noticing others staring at her.

"I already told you why." Jane sneered at her.

"I know why you held him. But you knew I liked him, we could have been happy. I thought we were friends!"

"What do you have in common with him? _We_ had so much in common than yo_u_. And for the record, we are _not_ friends.". Jane stood from the table, her face red with anger and walked away to nowhere while Amber sat there, shell shocked.

* * *

After school had ended and the day had come to a close, Amber's mother was out of the hospital and back at home. Most of the drugs she had was now pumped out of her stomach, and for the first time in forever, Amber's mom was relatively clean. In the same black cocktail dress, she plopped herself on the couch and patted the space next to her, beckoning for her daughter to sit beside her. Timidly, Amber sat beside her mother and watched as she draped her arm over her daughter. This was the first time in too long that her mother had acknowledged her for something other than a maid, Amber wondered how long it would last.

"I'm proud of you, you know." her mother spoke up. Amber looked at her mother surprised, "I am. You took care of me, even when I couldn't take care of myself; and I'm so sorry. For everything that was," she paused, "and everything that will come. Now go to bed. It's late.". Without a word Amber ran up the stairs quietly as she always had and got ready to go to bed.

* * *

Amber was gone, up the stairs and occupied for all she knew. God, the drug. She needed it, the crash was too rough. The mother smiled as she reminisced about the previous moment; she told her daughter she was proud of it and she meant it. Now best to get it out than never. With remorse, she took the plastic bag out of her big black purse and stared at the white powder within. With every step of her routine, she glanced towards the staircase to check for her daughter. Knowing the sadness her daughter will feel when she sees her mother sprawled on the couch back on the high she had craved. Before she had the drug re-enter her body for God knows how many times, she whispered a silent apology. She wasn't directing it to one specific person, just everyone she had hurt with her habit, and everyone that will continue to be hurt by it. Placing the silver straw in her nose and the other on the line, she inhaled.

* * *

Teeth brushed, check. Contacts out, check. Hair brushed, check. Over and over again, Amber went over the list of things she had to do before she slipped into her silken covers. Her list was complete and she got into her bed. _Not comfy enough_. she said to herself.

* * *

_First line, done. The high was starting to set in. But not enough. More. More._

* * *

She shifted into a different position, _nope_.

* * *

_The second line, done. Not enough. Great feeling_. God, how she missed it in her days at the emergency ward.

* * *

_Ah, here we go. So comfortable._ With the music in her ears and the world's comfiest position in bed, Amber fell asleep.

* * *

_Three lines. Nose hurts. Can't do anymore. Think I'm bleeding_. She raises her hand up to her nose and feels a warm liquid. When her hand pulled back from her face, she saw blood. _Oh well._ She remembered the doctors orders

"If you feel a craving. Just smoke. Although it's not the healthiest for you, its better than cocaine.". His voice ringed in her head. _He's right_. She grabbed the cigarette pack that the doctor gave her before she left. The red and white colors of the pack swirled within each other as she pulled a long white stick from the pack and lit it with difficulty. The end flared to life and she inhaled the smoke that flowed around in her lungs and gave her the extra high that the cocaine skipped. It felt great, she felt invincible. Unknowingly and still in her daze, she placed the cigarette on the stack of newspapers that were level with her head and fell asleep.

* * *

Jane wanted revenge on Amber. She hated her, hated her for taking Jake possibly forever is she was able to forgive him. With a bucket of eggs and a few rolls of toilet paper, Jane walked to Amber's house in the dark night. She knew something was wrong though, a bright light filled the night and became brighter as Jane neared Amber's house, but when she arrived, despite her hate for Amber, her heart dropped. Amber's house, though dingy and ugly, was bright with fire that engulfed the whole house. Orange and red flames licked the two story house. Jane screamed which quickly attracted the noise of the neighbors who laid in their beds, undisturbed by the events of the flame in the McLain house. Neighbors ran into the gloomy night and first glanced at Jane then got directed to the burning house.

"Someone save them!" a woman screamed. Others called the cops, but Jane knew it was too late. The front parts of the house were collapsing on the dull brown grass in a fiery mass.

* * *

"Terrible tragedy has struck our town." the newsman reported, "Last night, Amber and Mary McLain died in a house fire." he stopped and looked behind him, a police man was coming from the ruins of the house, "Sir, sir. Do you know what caused the fire that destroyed too many lives?

"Well," the policeman said and hoisted up his belt, "From what we've collected, we estimate that a mass of newspapers were burned under a cigarette."

"Is that it?"

"Yes.". The policeman walked out of the frame.

"Well there you have it. A misplaced cigarette burned a house and destroyed the lives the the McLain women and all those whom loved them. I'm Chris Johns, on scene.". He clicked the television off.

* * *

When Amber opened her eyes she was in a strange place. Green was everywhere and she was floating in suspension. _What a weird dream_. she thought to herself.

"It's no dream honey." said a woman's voice.

"What?" she asked.

"You're not dreaming child. You're dead." the woman stepped out of the shadows. The first thing Amber noticed was her green skin. Then she saw that she had the appearance of a lunch lady, equipped with a pink shirt and white apron and pink hair net.

"I'm not dead." Amber told the lady, "I _am_ dreaming.". With that said, she pinched herself on her arm to test. It hurt, but she didn't wake. She did it again. Nothing.

"Pinch yourself all you like. You won't wake up." the lunch lady told her.

"But I don't understand. How? Why?" Amber stammered.

"Well house fire and I don't know."

"This isn't heaven?"

"No. This is called the Ghost Zone. It's our home now.". Amber stayed silent. And looked around, green everywhere and the occasional door. One purple, one green, one a normal white that looked like Amber's door, "You're dressed quite… ragidly." the lady remarked. Looking down, Amber saw that her once full length shirt was now a crop-top one sleeve. Luckily the remnants of one sleeve stayed on, forming a tight-fitting cuff on her lower and upper arm and adding a melted on glove to her hand. Her pants were intact but her hair, once brown and flowing, was now an electric blue and spiked, but still in her signature ponytail.

"What we got here?" said a masculine voice. Amber looked up from herself and saw a man, if that's what you call it. He was a skeleton, bigger than a bodybuilder, with flaming green hair and dark sockets for eyes, "Whatcha staring at?" He snapped. She blushed and stared at the ground.

"Think she needs some shoes and other stuff. Needs more," he thought, "badassness."

"That's the last thing she needs Skulker." the lady said.

"I agree with Skulker." Amber spoke up, "New me. New look."

"I like how you think." he said to her. The trio walked into a black door and entered a large walk in closet. Different attire was scattered throughout the room. Amber looked through belts and shoes and found a grey belt with silver circles around the belt and silver boots with skulls at the feet.

"Man, this chick's got style." Skulker amused as he watched her pick her stuff. Just then, Amber saw a purple guitar with blue flames running up the sides of guitar. It was beautiful, and Amber loved it.

"Gotcha eye on that?" Skulker asked, observing her every move.

"Yeah." she replied in amazement.

"She speaks!" he smiled at her, "Take it, it's yours.". Amber picked up the guitar and slung the strap around her shoulder. It fit perfectly. Playing the guitar her mind instantly raced to her dream and unknowingly, she started to sing,

_It was, it was September_

_Wind blows, the dead leaves fall_

_To you, I did surrender_

_Two weeks, you didn't call..._

_Your life goes on without me_

_My life, a losing game_

_But you should, you should not doubt me_

_You will remember my name_

_Oh, Ember, you will remember_

_Ember, one thing remains_

_Oh, Ember, so warm and tender_

_You will remember my name_

_Your heart, your heart has ventured_

_Your wrong, now bear the shame_

_Like dead trees, in cold December_

_Nothing but ashes remain..._

_Oh, Ember, you will remember_

_Ember, one thing remains_

_Ember, so warm and tender_

_You will remember my name_

_Oh woah woah!_

_Ember, you will remember_

_Ember, my favorite name_

_Ember, so warm and tender_

_You will remember my name_

_Yeah! You will remember my name._

"Nice," Skulker commented, "so is your name what you sang?"

"Yeah." Amber told them with a smile. The new name made her feel ten times stronger.

"Well, welcome Ember. It suits you." Skulker said to her. _It did_, she thought.

"Let's go kiddo, you got a lot to learn." the lunch lady told her. With a smile, Ember nodded.

* * *

**Again, I'm so glad that you all have read my story and kept with me. All those reviews and views made me too happy. I cannot thank you guys enough.**

**~Lucid3762**


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